Sport and Politics Properly Entwined

In psychological terms it is understood that the human mind can only fully cope with one catastrophe at a time. It counts when famine goes up against earthquake in terms of charitable appeals. It counts at a hyper level at present when the protests happening across the US in support of Black Lives Matter goes head to head with the more than 100,000 deaths in that country attributed to COVID-19.

Europe has many imperfections when it comes to race, integration and treatment of those who are seen as ‘other’. That should never be forgotten but the systemic racism and undercurrent of violence that continually rears itself in America appears to make up a much greater part of the collective political society.

The United States is the ultimate democracy with elections not only for the President but for Governors and Mayors, Police Chiefs and senior Law officials. And not just at national level but in every town and village. It is never enough for the minority to mobilise but it is important in education the right-thinking element of the majority that some of the actions taken in their name can never be condoned.

The most powerful and moving speech to have emerged over the past week has come not from the White House or any other elected official but from a rapper named Killer Mike who was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan Kill Your Masters.

That would have been enough to make most tune out before hearing a word he said but then the interview was picked up and circulated by Basketball great LeBron James and it became mainstream.

That is where sport has an important role to play.

It was traditionally said that sport should be apolitical, that the two should never mix. While we can understand the original thinking behind that, and the storied history of politics and the Olympics in particular from Munich in 1972 to Moscow in 1980, it is clear that sport, as the single greatest unifying factor bringing people together around the world, has not only the right to get involved but an obligation.

Sporting bodies have regulations to prevent political slogans being displayed but those are being relaxed with Gianni Infantino saying yesterday that the action of German footballers in taking a knee over the weekend should be applauded rather than reprimanded.

Tiger Woods and the NFL have both come out in support of change as have many other organisations.

World Athletics posted the image above on Social media yesterday drawing a line from Black Lives Matter back to the Black Power salute given by John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympic Games.

At the time though, the International Olympic Committee had ordered the US Olympic Team to suspend them. When this was initially refused they were threatened with suspension of the whole team and at that point the two athletes did leave.

Time magazine at the time wrote of Faster Higher Stronger being replaced by Angrier, Nastier, Uglier.

The athletes did come through it and forged careers after initial abuse heaped on them and their families. That initial reaction to abuse and distrust still holds sway some 52 years on.

At the time it was this one sporting gesture that stood out in memory, despite so many other defining moments from that period.

It is right that World Athletics should use it again in support of what is right, though also consider how elements of its own sporting family reacted at the time.

When we stop being vigilant be let things slide and equality of treatment and opportunity, regardless of colour creed religion or gender should never be allowed to slide.